SOUTH CAROLINIANS who care about jobs and the economy should be proud of their governor, Nikki Haley.

Ms. Haley has rightly vetoed two measures that would hurt the proposed Jasper County port project, which is vital to the economic future of this region.

Her decision won’t make her popular among some powerful state lawmakers. But that’s the point. She understands that making the right call on this needed economic boost is more important than cozying up to the political lions in the legislature who have their own agenda.

We now hope South Carolina lawmakers from our area show similar courage. We encourage them to stand with the governor. They should support what she is doing to keep the Jasper port project moving forward.

These lawmakers include:

• State Rep. Bill Herbkersman, R-Bluffton.

• State Rep. Andy Patrick, R-Hilton Head Island.

• State Rep. Shannon Erickson, R-Beaufort.

• State Rep. Curtis Brantley, D-Ridgeland.

Let’s hope they don’t join their colleagues who see Ms. Haley as the enemy. Many Palmetto State lawmakers have aligned themselves with powerful political forces that are trying to sabotage the Jasper project behind the scenes.

One of the goals of this group is to snuff out any and all competition with the Charleston port — even if it means sacrificing the interests of some fellow South Carolinians in the process. We hope lawmakers who represent Bluffton, Hilton Head, Beaufort and Ridgeland don’t allow themselves to be used in such fashion.

Indeed, we hope that Mr. Herbkersman, who wrote an op-ed column that this newspaper published June 1, is a man of his word.

“We will build this port,” he wrote, referring to the Jasper project. That’s good to know. But talk is cheap. Actions are more important than words.

Ms. Haley knows that. By vetoing two key State Ports Authority budget provisos designed to give a state commission more authority over the Jasper port project, she’s sticking her neck out for people in the Lowcountry. Bravo to her.

She will pay a political price, no doubt. The forces aligned against Jasper are strong. But so, too, is the fighting spirit in the Lowcountry. At least one area lawmaker is showing it.

State Sen. Clementa C. Pinkney, D-Beaufort, has the governor’s back. He’s working to sustain the vetoes. We hope lawmakers like Mr. Herbkersman, Mr. Patrick, Ms. Erickson and Mr. Brantley join him and be counted as allies.

The Beaufort-Jasper delegation must be united when it comes to the Jasper port. When the governor says she backs “development and expansion of all our state’s ports — Georgetown, Charleston and Jasper — and will not choose one over the other,” lawmakers who genuinely support the Jasper project should shout, “Amen.”

Being a good public servant isn’t about being popular. It’s not going along to get along in Columbia either. Instead, it’s showing fortitude when the chips are on the table. It’s not marching in lockstep with the powerful.

“To be clear, a vote to override these vetoes is a vote against the Jasper Ocean Terminal,” Gov. Haley said.

The choice for area lawmakers is equally clear: Show some backbone. Stand with her.